Federal Opposition Leader Tony Abbott today affirmed his $1.5 billion commitment to the East West Link project, a new cross-city road connection in Melbourne’s inner north and west.

Mr Abbott today joined Victorian Roads Minister Terry Mulder in Abbotsford to inspect the current traffic situation on the Eastern

Freeway at Hoddle Street.

“The East West link is critical to Melbourne’s future infrastructure needs. It is one of the most important transport infrastructure projects in our nation. Melbourne is an economic powerhouse and it needs the infrastructure of the 21st century to continue to

grow. That’s what an incoming Coalition government in Canberra is determined to achieve,” Mr Abbott said.

“It’s abundantly clear that the East West Link will help ease the chronic congestion on the Eastern Freeway and take pressure off the Monash-CityLink-West Gate corridor.”

“Today’s inspection provided me with a new perspective on the project and the significant benefits it will bring to the people of

Victoria,” Mr Abbott said.

Roads Minister Terry Mulder said it was a good opportunity to brief the Federal Opposition Leader on the current status of the project.

“We welcome Mr Abbott’s commitment to the East West Link because it’s a real vote of confidence in our great State,” Mr Mulder

said.

“In the meantime, we are getting on with early investigations in the project’s eastern section, with geotechnical drilling commencing in Royal Park this week.”

Geotechnical drilling has been undertaken at around 16 sites since May 2012, with at least nine sites within and around Royal

Park to be completed over the coming months.

“We recognise that Royal Park is a sensitive area so we’ve worked very closely with the City of Melbourne on all the necessary approvals to drill in the park,” Mr Mulder said.

“The drillers will be adhering to strict processes to ensure trees are protected and the sites will be accessed from the path network

to minimise vehicle movements on grassed areas.

“We’ve also worked closely with local environment and residents groups and undertaken ecology and cultural heritage assessments, which have helped us to find drilling locations that avoid any sensitive areas.

“The drilling is not noisy or disruptive and the rigs will be located clear of traffic lanes so we don’t expect any traffic impacts on the

roads through the park.”

Minister Mulder said the results of the geotechnical drilling, along with other preliminary investigations, were feeding into the East West Link business case which is due to be completed early next year.

“It’s important that we do this pre-work and a thorough business case so we can understand how much the East West Link will

cost and how to best deliver the project for Victorians,” Mr Mulder said.

The East West Link is an 18 kilometre road project that would connect the Eastern Freeway with the Western Ring Road. The

eastern section of the project would link the Eastern and Tullamarine Freeways, with a connection to the Port.

For more information on the East West Link geotechnical drilling and a map of the drilling sites, visit www.linkingmelbourne.vic.gov.au or visit www.youtube.com/linkingmelb to view a video about the drilling.